Nail machine



Nov. 22, 1932. H; B. TROTT I NAIL MACHINE Filed D90. 30. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l v bzvewr: flQEI/EY 5 7 ?07-7;

H.. B. TROTT Nov. 22, 1932.

4 Sheets$heet 2 Nov. 22, 1932. H. B. TRO1T muuucanm Filed Dec. :50. 1929 4, Sheets-Sheet s w \fiv Q h j I I 8% h mm v mN Q mm m g raw r w g \Q Q \kmm M Nov. 22, 1932. H. B. TROTT NAIL MACHINE Filed Dec. 30. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 k ICT WN MIV Z 77eo7-T Patented Nov. 1932 PATENT OFFICE mm B. TBDTT, 01 ICKEESPOBT, PENNSYLVANIA nmmcnmn" Application filed December 30, 1929. Serial No. 417,451.

This invention relates to nail machines and has for one of its objects the provision of an improved high speed machine so designed that it will be lighter, will require less floor space than machines heretofore generaL ly in use, and will be quiet and accurate in operation.

In the drawings;

. Figure 1 is a plan view of a nail machine constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail showing the mechanical kicker operating cam.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional plan of the beltshifting mechanism.

:0 Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view showing it the automatic stop.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional plan of the rotor valve for automatically operating the neumatic kicker of this invention.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the rotor of the 8 valve of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a sectional plan of the rotor positioned as shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a plan of the rotor taken oppositely or at 180 degrees to that of Figure 9.

8 Referring more particularly to the drawings,the letter A designates the base frame of the machine as a whole in which a crankshaft 3 is j ournaled. The shaft 3 has a drivepulley 2 keved thereon and an idler-pulley 1 is journaled on a stub-shaft 1 mounted on a bracket 2. The pulleys 1 and 2 are in alinement so that a driving belt may be shifted from one pulley to the other by the belt shifting apparatus B.

ll A sprocket 4 is fixedly secured to the crankshaft 3 and is o eratively connected by a chain 6 to a sproc et 5 of the same diameter and fixedly mounted on a feed drive-shaft 7 j ournaled in the frame A adjacent the rear end thereof.

The feed drive-shaft 7 carries a gear 8 which is meshed with a gear 9 on a second shaft 10 j ournaled below the shaft 7.

A feed-roller 11 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 7 and a second feed-roller 12 is mounted on the shaft 10 and rotatably adjustable relative thereto. A nut 12* is provided for locking the roller 12 in adjusted position.

The feed rollers 11 and 12 are each provided with arcuate gripping segments 11 and 12 adapted to grip the wire when they are opposite each 0t er and to feed the wire into the machine. The length or contact between the segments 11 and 12 may be adjusted from nothing to the full length of said segments by simplfy turning or rotating the roller 12 on its sha 10, an by this adjustment the amount of stock, fed into the machine is varied.

The feed-shaft sprocket 5 is adjustably locked on a collar 5 fixed on the feed-shaft 7 and can berotated relative to the collar 5 and shaft 7 so as to change the interval of feeding relative to the cycle of machine operatlo The feed-rollers force the wire stoc through a guide and centering device compgsed of outer and inner sleeve or tube memrs 14 and 14'. The outer tube member 14 is threaded in an internally threaded aper- 80 ture 50 in the frame A and is adapted to be is provided with a tapered internal shoulder 1 14 and the inner sleeve 14, which is threaded into the sleeve 14 for movement relative thereto, is provided with a tapered nose 14 composed of segments separated by longitudinally extending slots, and is adapted to be contracted or expanded by forcing said nose into or out of engagement with the shoulder 14 of'the outer tube. By thus adjusting the inner tube it is made to accommodate various gages of wire.-

The wire after being fed into the throat X of the machine is adapted to be held by pinch+dies 23 mounted in a die-holder 24. The pinch-dies are ada ted to be operated by cams 16 on the cran -shaft 3, which engage rollers 17 on pins 17 in the rocking evers 18 which are fulcrumed on pins 19. The forward ends of the levers 18 are adapted to operate or reciprocate the pinch-dies 23 through bell-cranks 20 on pins 34, plungers 21 and adjusting screws 22. I

After the wire stock is gripped by the dies 23 a sufficient length will protrude to form the nail head.

A cross-head 26 is slidably mounted in suitable slide bearings in the frame A and is provided with an aperture 26 to receive the shank of a hammer-stock 27 which is locked in position by a set-screw 27 A portion of the hammer-stock shank is threaded to receive a nut 27 which may be used to adjust the hammer-stock and to limit its movement into the aperture 26. The outer end of the hammer-stock is apertured to receive a heading hammer 28 which is locked in position by a set-screw 28.

The cross-head 26 is adapted to be reciprocated by a pitman 25 which is connected to the crank of the crank-shaft 3 and to the cross-head.

After the hammer is. operated to form a head on the nail the nail is cut off of the stock by cutter dies or knives 15. The knives 15 are carried by rocker-arms 35 which are journaled on a spindle 44 which is threaded in a split internally threaded sleeve 44 on the upper end of a. goose-neck bracket 44". The sleeve 44 is pinched against the threaded end of-the spindle 44 by a bolt 201 to lock said spindle against rotation.

' The rocker arms 35 are operated by cams 29 on the crank-shaft 3 which engage rollers 30 on dpins 30% in levers 31 which are fulcrume on the pins 19. The levers 31transmit their power through adjusting screws 32 and bell-crank 33 fulcrumed on pins 34, which bell-cranks engage and rock the rocker-arms 35.

After the finished nail has been cut from the stock and the inch and cutter dies have opened the nail is 'cked out of the machine by a mechanical kicker 37 and a pneumatic or fluid pressure kicker.

The mechanical kicker 37 is operated by a cam 36 on the feed-shaft 7 which operates passage 60 which communicates with the chamber a of a hollow rotor 61 of the valve through a port 60. The rotor 61 also has an exhaust chamber 6.

The wall of the rotor 61 is cut away circumferentially to form passages 62 and 63 which are offset to form overlapping portions 62 and 63", respectively. An exhaust pipe or conduit 85 leads from the valve 43 and is in communication with the chamber 6 of the rotor 61. The passages 62 and 63 communicate with the interior of valve rotor chambers a and b, respectively, by a series of holes 62 and 63", respectively.

Ports 88 and 87 communicate with the passages 62 and 63 throughout their length .as' the rotor is rotated in the valve.

As the rotor is rotated to bring the offset portions 62 and 63 opposite the ports 88 and 87, the port 88 will aline and communicate with the offset portion 63 of the kpassage 63, and the port 87 will aline and communicate with the ofi'set portion 62 of the passage 62, thereby reversing the pressure and exhaust ends of 'the .cylinder 81 so as to cause the kicker to Continued move down and kick out the nail. rotation of the rotor will again move the passages 62 and 63 into communication with the ports 88 and 87 to reverse the pressure and exhaust ends of the cylinder and return the kicker to its uppermost position.

The exhaust pipe 85 leads to a port 86 above the throat of the machine, and the ex haust is discharged into the throat of the ma- The'shaft 40 is connected to the drive-shaft 7 l 'by gears 38 and 39.

Due to the novel valve construction, the

gearing may be so designed and timed that the time it takes the passages 62 and 63 to pass the ports 87 and 88 is suflicient to maintain the kicker in its raised position during the nail-forming operations of the machine, while the offset portions 62" and 63 will be opposite the ports 87 and 88 only momentarily so, as to move the kicker downto kick out the finished nail.

The belt-shifter B provides "for hand control of the machine. This belt-shifter B comprises a housing 90 which is secured to the frame of themachine and has a bracket arm 90 for supporting one end of a shaft 91, the

J other end of which is supported on the frame of the machine; A belt shifting fork 91 is slidably mounted on the shaft 91 and is adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the shaft to shift the driving belt from either of the pulleys 1 or 2 to the other.

A substantially T-shaped rocker member 92 is pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot pin in the housing and has the free end of its stem provided with a lug 923 which is engaged between ears 92 on the belt shifting fork 91 The transverse or head portion of the T-shaped rocker member 92 has its ends bifurcated, as at 93, to receive pivot studs or pins 93 on the link members 93. The link members 93 are slidably mounted in guideways 94 in the housing 90. The link members 93 are cut away to form clearance recesses which terminate at one end in square shoulders 94 and at their other ends in inclined shoulders 94.

A plunger 95 is slidably mounted in the housing 90 and is normally held extended within the housing by a coiled spring 95;.

The plunger 95 is provided with a head member 95*. The head 95 is provided with a tooth 95 adapted tobe engaged in recesses 96 in the member 92 to lock the member 92 against movement while" the plunger is in retracted position. The recesses 96 are spaced so as to be in line with the lug 95 when the rocker member is in either extreme position.

A trigger member 96 is pivotally mounted on a headed stud on the head 95 and is provided with arms 96 which extend into the cutaway portions of the link members.

i A cable or other flexible member 97 is connected to the outer end of the plunger 95 and is trained around the machine to a convenient lace for the operator where it terminates in a handle 97 In order to shift the belt it is only necessary for the operator to pull on the cable 97 so as to pull the plunger out of the housing 90,

thus withdrawing the lug or tooth 95 and causing the trigger 96 to engage the square shoulder on the one of the links 93 toward which the rocker member 92 is inclined, causing that link to move with the trigger and the rocker to rock in the opposite direction thereby shifting the fork 91. In order to adjust the hives-15 to vary the length of v the nails the spindle 44 is adjusted in or out of the sleeve 44 by operating the bolt 201 to slightly spread the sleeve and rotating the spindle by applying a wrench to'the square end 44? of the spindle. After the adjustment has been made the bolt 201 will again be screwed home to pinch the spread sleeve 44*" against the threaded end of the spindle 44 to lockthe spindle against rotation.

The arms 35 and knives 15 are adapted to be alined by moving one of said arms and knives relative to the other in a direction lengthwise of the spindle 44 by means of a collar 45 which is threaded on the hub of one of the rocker arms 35 and locked against movement by means of a setscrew 202 so asto hold said adjusted arm and knife in adjusted position. By removing the setscrew 202 and turning the collar on the hub on which it is mounted the hub may be lengthened or shortened, thus changing the position of the other rocker arm and knife relative thereto. After the collar 45 has been turned to adjust the one arm and knife relative to the other the setscrew 202 will again be threaded into position to lock the collar 45 against further movement. v

An automaticstop is provided for automatically stopping the machine should the wire become tangled thus preventing a kink or knurl. The automatic stop comprises a pivoted crank lever 48 having an eye 48 at one end throu h which the wire passes to the machine and aving its other end provided with a hook 48' which engages with and pulls the cable 97 when the lever is rocked by a kink in the wire engaging the eye 48.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention it will. be

understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope thereof, as defined in the-appended claims;

1. In a nail machine, means for feeding wire in measured lengths into said machine, means for guiding the wire as it isfed into the machine, means for forming a head on the wire, means for cutting ofl and pointing a length of the headed wire to form a finished nail, and means for gripping the wire during said heading operation, said gripping means comprising pinch dies mounted be-' tween said head forming means and said cutting-off and pointing means, said guiding means comprising inner and outer sleeve members, said outer sleeve member being adjustable toward and away from said head'- ing means, said inner sleeve having a threaded engagement with said outer sleeve, said outer sleeve being provided with an internal flange at its forward end, and saidinner sleeve being provided with a tapered nose formed of segments separated by longitudinal slots, said nose being in contact with said flange on said outer sleeve whereby saidinner sleeve may be threaded back and forth relative to said outer sleeve to force said nose of the inner sleeve to engage or move away from said flange on said outer sleeve and contract or expand said nose to accommodate. different gages of wire. 7

2. In a nail machine, a base frame, a driveshaft journaled in said frame, a dual kicker arrangement for kicking the completed nails out of said machine, said kicker arrangement comprising a vertically disposed fluid operated plunger adapted to engage the head end of the nail, and a mechanically operated tappet plunger adapted to engage the body of the nail, a fluid pressure cylinder for operating said fluid operated plunger, a rotary 5 valve for controlling the flow to and exhaust of fluid from said cylinder, said exhaust being directed into said machine to blow out whiskers and other foreign particles, drive means connecting said drive-shaft and said rotary valve and cam operated means operatively connected with said drive shaft for operating said mechanically operated tappet plunger.

3. In a nail machine, a base frame, a driveshaft journaled in said frame, a dual kicker arrangement for kicking the completed nails out of said machine, said kicker arrangement comprising a vertically disposed fluid operated plunger adapted to engage the head end of the nail, and a mechanically operated tappet plunger adapted to engage the body of the nail, a fluid pressure cylinder for operating said fluid operated plunger, a rotary valve for controlling the flow to and exhaust of fluid from said cylinder, said exhaust being directed into said machine to blow out Whiskers and other foreign particles, drive means connecting said drive-shaft and said rotary valve, a rocker arm for operating said tappet I plunger, and a cam on said drive-shaft for operating said rocker arm.

4. In a nail machine having a base frame, a a hammer, pinch dies and a cutting-off meche 0 anisni to the rear of said pinch dies, said outting-off mechanism comprising a gooseneck support projecting upwardly from said base frame and having a split internally threaded sleeve portion at its upper end, a spindle '40 threaded in said sleeve for movement toward and away from said hammer, means fon clamping said sleeve against said spindle to lock it against movement, rocker arms journaled in said spindle, knives carried by said 5 rocker arms, means for alining said knives by adjusting one of said arms relative to the other in a direction lengthwise of said spindle, means for locking said adjusted arm in its adjusted position and means for moving to said arms toward each other into cutting relation at timed intervals.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HARVEY B. TROTT. 

